Don't you worry child
by greekswen
Summary: Emma Swan is living happily with her son, Henry, when a man from her past comes to visit her. But, who is he really?
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first fic and English is not my native language so I'm sorry for any mistakes! I love your feedback, so please review and tell me what I need to do better. For now, the rating is K. If anyone wants to contact with me, my tumblr is swenfamily.**

**Hope you like the story :)**

_"In those days, I didn't understand anything. I should have judged her according to her actions, not her words. She perfumed my planet and lit up my life. I should never have run away! I ought to have realized the tenderness underlying her silly pretensions. Flowers are so contadictory! But I was too young to know how to love her." _

- The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Three days have passed. Three days, and still, the weird man with the black leather coat, didn't seem to understand that there was no way she would follow him. After his sudden onslaught, the morning of that terrible day, she decided not to open the door again to anyone, unless she asked first of his/her identity. Unfortunately, the guy insisted. Initially, by slamming her door with so much force, as if he wanted to break it. Then , with slips of paper that he slipped under her door.  
''Please, let me explain Emma..''

He was crazy, that was for sure. Luckily, he made his presence felt at times when Henry was at school. It was as if he knew the program of her little family. She was working in the afternoons, and sometimes till late in the evenings. So, Henry was staying for several hours alone and sometimes she would call a neighbor of them, to catch an eye on him. Well, that was the fact until some months ago, when the kid said to her :

''Mom, I'm almost 13, I'm no longer a baby. I think I can stay by myself for a while!''

''Well, we will have this conversation again when you turn 18, big man! '' she has answered him laughing.

''I'm serious Mom..''

'' And I'm Regulus!'' she has said to him teasingly but she stopped when she saw the expression on his face.

Τhey had a pretty strong argument that day,but eventually they both agreed for him to stay alone, as long as Emma was not out of the house for more than four hours. Her little boy was not so little anymore, she had to accept that. She smiled wistfully thinking that soon enough he will be a teenager. The days when she kissed him goodnight and read with him,his favorite fairytales, have passed long ago. She was lauging so much with his love for the evil queen from ''Snow White and the seven dwarves''! Will they ever have again this bonding, like these cold winter nights when all they did was teasing each other and sleeping together, holding each other so tight? Like they were afraid of something. Like they knew something was missing from their lives..

Emma could feel that something has changed between them, and she was not sure if she liked it. She knew that this was part of life, though, and that her little prince will find his way back ''home'' whenever he decide to. She would be here, waiting. Forever.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the doorbell.

''Not him again!'' Emma sighed.

Getting a last mouthfull from the omelete she had made for breakfast, she got up carefully to look up from the peephole of the door. There, standing, was not the weird man with the black leather coat. It was someone she hasn't seen for years. Someone, she thought she would never see again.

A FEW MONTHS AGO

Three days have passed. Three days that Regina was hiding from the most evil witch she had ever witnessed. She was rivaling even the evil queen that Regina was once. Once upon a time…She tries really hard not to remember these times. Because when she does, she remembers where all this anger has lead her. To the course. And therefore, in Storybrooke. To Henry. She is not supposed to be thinking of Henry, it hurts too much. The price she had to pay in order to destroy the previous curse, was just that. She was cursed to remember what she has lost. Forever. She might not have been enough for her happy ending, but at least, she gave it to Emma. She didn't know how to feel about this, but she was determined that she did the right thing. Emma deserved that, after all, she was the savior. Regina is just a villain, and as Rumple proved, villains don't get happy endings.

Lost in her thoughts, she continued wandering through the enchanted forest. She had let Snow and Charming in charge of protecting the inhabitants and she had made a temporary protection spell so that the wicked witch will not be able to find them. Regina didn't know her exact intentions yet, but the witch made it clear from the start, that if they didn't do what she said, there would be consequences. And there were. Even deaths of innocent people. The former queen was feeling as she was watching her old self from a distance. That made it even harder. No, she hadn't regret what she has done, as the curse allowed her to have – well, for a small time period – Henry, but sometimes she was feeling remorse for the pain she has caused. She was the only one who could stop the wicked witch and that was what she was willing to do. She couldn't let anyone to be in danger anymore, even if that meant she would be destroyed herself. There wasn't much for her to lose now, anyway. Her life was meaningless without her family. Images of Henry and Emma started flying through her mind. She haven't had the time to collaborate why she thought about both Emma and Henry as her family, as a thin voice of a child, sounded near the cliff beside her.

''Please help me! Is anyone here? HELP!''

SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ

Emma opened the door and fell into the arms of the man in front of her.

''Eugene! It's been so many years! I thought I've lost you forever!'' she said while crying to the tall man in front of her. He was thin, with his brown hair mixed by the autumnal air and a twinkle in his brown eyes don't leaving, despite that he was apparently tired. He hugged her tightly.

''Emma, I'm fine,..Don't cry please, let's go inside..'' he said gently, stroking her hair.

Holding him by the hand, she led him to the living room.

''Do you want something to eat? To drink? Oh my God, you are actually here!'' she said squeezing his hand.

''Emma, sit down. I need to talk to you'' he whispered calmly but with a decisive tone.

She looked puzzled but sat on the couch next to him and smiled.

''So, where have you been my little brother? We've been looking for you everywhere. I know you were travelling the world, but you could have contacted with me'' she said to him teasingly.

''I'm not your brother Emma. You've never had a brother. All of these memories are fake. You knew me once, though. Your memories are just moments of a life that someone else gave to you. And now, it's finally time to meet again the woman who gave you her happy ending.''


	2. Chapter 2

**So, here is the second chapter ! Just a reminder that this story will be eventually swan queen but I want it to be a slow burn. Yeah, I'm a masochist :P**

**Special thanks to ****Nikitam**** and ****parapentistria4ever**** for the help at the translation. You rock girls!**

TODAY

Emma stood still, looking at him for a few seconds with her mouth wide open, but almost immediately, she started laughing.

''You are so funny! You always loved teasing me!'' she said, playing with his hair.

He didn't smile. He hasn't even moved from his position.

''Do you remember how you ended up with this tattoo?'' he asked suddenly, pointing the small flower that was designed on her left wrist.

''Not exactly. I guess I got that when I was drunk someday and you know me, the next day I couldn't really remember anything. Do you remember mom shouting at me when I was drunk? It was so funny!'' the blonde asked laughing.

''No, I don't remember. I don't remember because she wasn't your real mother Emma.''

''Oh, and who is my real mother Mr. Genius? '' she said to him teasingly.

''I'm not sure you are ready yet. But I can show you something'' he whispered and lifted his left sleeve. On his arm, was elaborately designed a beautiful unicorn.

14 YEARS AGO

Sixteen- year old Emma couldn't stand living in the foster system anymore. She felt like she was drowning. The young girl has stopped wishing for her parents a long time ago. She has accepted the fact that she would never meet them. They didn't want her and that was obvious. However, she really didn't care. She had Eugene, who was like her brother. He was in the foster system too, 2 years older than her. An older brother she always needed. She was belligerent, noisemaker and always in trouble. But.. he has always been there for her. The young boy always supported her and even reprimanded her, when it was necessary.

Today he was acting strange. They have been watching a movie and they have been eating chips, laying on her bed, but Eugene has been unusually silent.

"Why are you so silent today?" she asked him and pinched his arm

"I am just thinking…" he told her thoughtfully.

"Be careful… I smell smoke!"

Suddenly, as if he had just woken up from a sleeping curse, he rose up rapidly and started seeking his shoes.

. " Stand up! Stop being so lazy! I found a perfect tattoo studio some days ago, let's visit it" he said with obvious enthusiasm.

" Do you want to have a tattoo? Does Mr.'' always-be-a-good-girl-Emma'' Eugene want to have a tattoo? Poor little thing, you have lost your mind.'' she mocked him.

Pretending that he hadn't listened to her, he dragged her from the bed and they started quarreling for fun.

"Ok, let's go, as it is something you so desperately want to do" Emma told him taking his hand and leaving the house.

The gentle springtime breeze immediately cheered her up. Getting into the studio, a man with a beard, whose body was covered with tattoos, gave them a catalogue with different drawings to get ideas.

"Hmm, I want to have something that will suit my personality, but I don't know what …" Emma thought, browsing the catalogue. Suddenly her eye caught a small inconspicuous flower with round petals.

"How beautiful!" she thought

. "I'm sorry" she asked the guy with the beard "What kind of flower is this?"

''It is called lion flower, it used to be the symbol of a royal family , regards to myths. It demonstrates the power of family bonds."

Emma couldn't avert her eyes from that tiny flower. She had stopped searching for her family, but this symbol brought tears to her eyes for something that she had never had. Eugene as if he had read her thoughts, told her calmly

"The two of us, we are family, aren't we? We will get a tattoo that will symbolize our little family, what do you think?''

Emma smiled at him and nodded in a positive way gently, as Eugene was browsing the catalogue. He stopped in a page, where a small unicorn was drowned.

"Unicorns symbolize the innocence and are loyal creatures to their families. You know, they remind me of horses in a kind of way."

''And since when have you been interested in horses?'' she asked him with a strange look on her face..

" They are beautiful animals" He told her lifting up his shoulders.

" So, the unicorn for you and the flower for me? Is it a deal?'' she asked him in a teasing way, stretching her hand towards him.

"It's a deal!" he told her winking and gripping her hand strongly.

It was a promise. A promise that they would always "find" each other. Emma didn't know it then, but that was its meaning. Its literal meaning.

A FEW MONTHS EARLIER IN THE ENCHANTED FOREST

Regina ran in the direction from which the cry originated. A little boy –not over five- was hanging from a tree, which overhung the cliff. He'd stopped shouting, he was only whimpering in terror.

"Take my hand" Regina told him.

The child looked at her with watery eyes, but made no move to grasp her hand.

"I'm scared. I'll fall. Where's my dad? Bring me my dad!" he started saying in between tears.

The more his little body moved, the more the tree bent.

"He won't be safe for long." thought Regina. She decided not to disorient him further. She kneeled as close to him as she could, and started talking to him calmly.

"What's your name kid?"

"R-r-roland" he stuttered, still crying.

"It's nice to meet you Roland, my name is Regina. Would you like to come help me look for your dad?"

"You know my dad?" the kid looked encouraged. Regina had no idea who he was, but if she wanted to save the kid, she had to play her game. He reminded her so much of Henry at his age. Slightly shaking her head, she put thoughts of Henry aside and responded

"Yes, I know him. Just give me your hand and I'll take you to him." she said sweetly, remembering for one moment, a woman she no longer was. A woman who had been imprinted in all her expressions and movements, even those which only meant to do good.

Hesitantly, the young boy spread his hand. In a swift move, Regina pulled him up and hugged him tight. She missed that feeling. She missed a child's smile. She missed Henry. Before allowing herself to indulge in that feeling, a tall, strapping man emerged from the woods. He looked panicked, and was yelling out Roland's name.

"Daddyyyyy" the child shouted and ran towards him.

"Roland, you scared me so much! Where on earth have you been?" he said, kissing him all over.

"Daddy, I was hunting a huge rabbit and he jumped from the cliff, so I climbed a tree, that one there, so I could catch it, but he got away, and I almost fell, but that nice lady saved me" he said in one breath, and pointed to Regina, who was stood nearby, baffled.

He approached her and smiled widely.

"Thank you for saving my son. If there is anything you would like, please tell me. Anything you want, it wouldn't be enough next to what you did for me."

"I want to be with my family again, but you can't give me that, can you?" she thought sarcastically, as she gave him her hand, smiling vaguely.

"I don't need anything; I just did the right thing. Sarah, Pleased to meet you" she said as the man lovingly tightened his grip on her hand. She couldn't risk him realizing who she was. Besides, with the clothes she had on she resembled a beggar more than she did a Queen. And then she saw it. On his right forearm.

"Robin. Nice to meet you too Sarah" he said looking directly into her eyes.

The man with the lion tattoo.


End file.
